Singapore's healthcare spending is likely to continue rising; targeted support needed: Gan

Sharon See
Published Fri, Mar 5, 2021 · 04:13 PM

SINGAPORE'S spending on healthcare has grown every year and is likely to continue rising, which is why the country needs to be prudent and ensure support is targeted at those in greater need, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said on Friday.

"Even with our best efforts, we will still be spending more on healthcare over time, given an ageing population and increasing consumption of healthcare services," he told Parliament during his ministry's Committee of Supply debate.

He added that the government continues to bear a significant and growing share of the national health expenditure, from 40 per cent in 2013 to 46 per cent in 2018.

Overall, government spending is likely to continue to increase, he said.

"That is why we have to be prudent in how we allocate limited resources, to ensure that the support we provide is more targeted to benefit those with greater need," he said, adding that the government pays particular attention to lower-income households.

This is one of the three key thrusts when it comes to strengthening Singapore's healthcare system for the long term, even as the nation is mobilised in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, the minister said.

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The effort to better target subsidies, such that those with less will receive more, will keep healthcare affordable for all, allowing patients to be cared for at the most appropriate facilities, he said.

Another key thrust is to continue to anchor care in the community by strengthening primary care, the minister said, adding that 12 new polyclinics will be built, bringing the total to 32 by 2030.

At the same time, the government is committed to stretching Singaporeans' health dollar, said Mr Gan. This will be done by leveraging risk pooling and by continuing to improve the healthcare system's cost effectiveness and efficiency.

For example, the Agency for Care Effectiveness has enabled the government to save S$300 million since 2016 and benefited over 375,000 patients. These initiatives are part of the Singapore's care transformation journey, he said.

"As we plan for our future health system, we will study how we can develop a longitudinal system of care services and programmes, to journey with you and design programmes with a life-course approach, taking care of each Singaporean from birth and throughout their life," he said.

As staying well often involves not just health but also social and other factors, the government will explore how it can pull in resources across agencies and service providers to support Singaporeans' overall well-being.

Meanwhile, Singapore is making steady progress with its vaccination programme, he said. As at March 4, more than 350,000 Singapore residents had received their first dose, including some 80 per cent of healthcare workers; 215,000 have received their second doses.

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